U.S. Pat. No. 5,840,414 discloses a carbon plate for use in a fuel cell system which is rendered hydrophilic by incorporation of a metal oxide. The reference lists potential methods at col. 5, lines 31–52. The reference describes in detail and exemplifies a three-step method of incorporating metal oxide in a graphite plate by treatment with a metal chloride, in situ conversion of the metal chloride to metal hydroxide, and in situ conversion of the metal hydroxide to metal oxide. (col 5, line 53–col. 6, line 21; and col. 7, lines 7–25).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,504 discloses a method of electrodeposition of catalytic metal on a substrate to form a gas diffusion electrode using a pulsed electric current.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,165 discloses a fuel cell system that includes bipolar plates having hydrophilic surfaces. The surfaces may be made hydrophilic by application of wetting agents such as silica sols, alumina, or silica-alumina. ('165 at col. 6, lines 13–22).
WO 01/17050 discloses a method of making a structural fuel cell component hydrophilic by use of a metal oxyhydroxide, oxyhydroxide hydrate, or oxide hydrate.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,298,348 and 5,389,471 disclose a separator for an alkaline battery system.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,083,638 discloses a fuel cell system that includes a current collector that includes hydrophilic materials and can also include hydrophobic materials. The current collector may be made of fibers such as carbon, glass or resin fibers. The hydrophilic material or bulking agent may be particles of materials such as carbon powder, metal powder, glass powder, ceramic powder, silica gel, zeolite or non-fluorinated resin. The hydrophobic material or bulking agent may be particles of materials such as fluorinated resin. (see, '638 FIG. 10).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,998,058 discloses an electrode backing layer for a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell formed from a carbon fiber substrate treated so as to contain both “hydrophilic” and “hydrophobic” pores. The reference describes a method of making pores more hydrophilic by immersion in a solution of tin tetrachloride pentahydrate followed by immersion in ammonia.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,848 discloses a porous support plate for an electrochemical cell which includes a contact bilayer adjacent to an electrode including a hydrophobic and a hydrophilic phase. The reference discloses a hydrophilic phase comprised of a mixture of carbon black and a proton exchange resin.